Harness attachment



Jan. 28, 1941. R. w. WILHELM HARNESS ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 24, 1939 Fig. 2

INVENTOR Roria W Wz'lhelm/ ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 28, 1941 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to harness attachments and has particular reference to the type of harness attachments commonly known as pack saddle cinch buckles or girth rings. In the following description and claims, the term cinch buckle or simply buckle will be employed instead of the two synonymous terms above mentioned.

A cinch or girth is the band or strap which passes under the horses belly for the purpose of fastening a pack or saddle to the horses back. The cinch or girth is not directly attached to the pack or saddle, but is detachably secured at each end by means of a cinch buckle to a latigo, which is a band or strap attached to the saddle or saddie-tree. It is thought to be clear from the foregoing statement that a cinch or girth is provided with a cinch buckle at each of its two ends. It is common practice to permanently secure the cinch buckle to the cinch or girth by means of stitching and rivets.

The present invention has for its primary object the provision of a cinch buckle of very simple and relatively inexpensive construction having a greater field of usefulness than similar devices of the prior art.

Another object of importance is to provide a inch buckle which renders it possible to tie what is known as a diamond hitch without the use of an additional or lash cinch. A diamond hitch may be briefly described as a method of fastening a rope about a pack-animals load in which the rope secured by a cinch crosses so as to leave a diamond-shaped space on top.

A further object is to provide a cinch buckle which renders it possible to make a tie-down without the use of an additional or lash cinch on any kind of packing gear such as for example a Decker r Sawbuck saddle.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In its very essence, the device of the invention consists of a ring, a cross-bar spanning said ring, a tongue pivotally mounted on said cross-bar and extending to the periphery of the ring, and a hooked-shaped element also pivotally mounted on said cross-bar. The buckle is preferably a non-circular ring of circular cross-section, and may advantageously take the general form of a triangle or trapezoid, though other forms and shapes are not precluded.

Referring briefly to the drawing, wherein is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a top view of one end of a cinch or girth with the buckle of the present invention attached thereto, and showing the hook-shaped elements in two alternative positions, and

Figure 2 is a cross-section taken along line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, the cinch or girth is denoted generally by the numeral I and the buckle is indicated generally by the numeral 2. The buckle is shown as being secured by means of rivets and lines of stitching in the bight 3 formed by bending over the end of the cinch. The rivets are indicated by the numeral 4 and the stitching by the numeral 5.

The buckle is shown as having the general form of a triangular or trapezoidal ring of circular cross-section. The Wide base portion thereof, which is indicated by the numeral 5, is encased as shown in the bight 3 of the cinch. The two converging sides of the ring are denoted by the numerals I and 3 and merge into the apex 9, which is preferably rounded as shown.

The numeral l0 designates a cross-bar spanning the ring between the base 6 and the apex 9, said cross-bar being substantially parallel to the base 6. The cross-bar is welded or otherwise secured to the underside of the buckle so that it will not bear against the body of the horse. Mounted on the cross-bar I!) for independent swinging movement are the tongue or pin II and the hook-shaped element H. The tongue or pin ll extends from the cross-bar II] to the apex 9 on the underside of the buckle as shown.

The numerals I3 and M denote two axially alined tubular elements rotatably mounted on the cross-bar Ill. The hook-shaped element I2 is formed with two bifurcations l5 and [6, each of which is formed integrally with one of the tubular elements ill or M. The tongue or pin II is mounted on the cross-bar ll between the two tubular elements and is swingable in the space I! between the two bifurcations. The hook-shaped element I2 is swingable independently of the tongue or pin l I.

As previously noted, the buckle is intended to be permanently secured to one end of the cinch or girth by means of the wide base 6 of the ring. To this end, the base 6 is incased in the bight 3 and is secured. therein by means of the rivets 4 and the lines of stitching 5. The apex 9 of the buckle is intended to be used to detachably secure the cinch to the latigo (not shown). The tongue ll renders it possible to make a readily detachable attachment without the use of knots, the latigo being simply threaded through the buckle at the apex and the tongue ll being inserted in one of the perforations in the latigo.

The hook-shaped element, as has been stated, renders it possible to tie what is known as a diamond hitch or to make a tie-down without the use of an additional lash or cinch. After the cinch or girth has been securely fastened to the latigoes, the hook-shaped element may be used to tie any conventional form of hitch over a top pack, whether or not side packs are being used. The hook should preferably be of a size to take the size of rope generally used by packers. The rope from the pack may be readily passed through the hook and back to the pack, or, the rope after being secured at both ends may be readily snapped under the hook. When not in use, the hook may be swung out of the way as indicated by the dotted lines.

The foregoing specification and description include the essential and distinctive thought of the invention, but it is to be distinctly understood that the same, may be modified in various ways or combined with various other details without afiecting the peculiar results obtained and withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims, in which I intend to claim all the patentable novelty inherent. in the invention.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a harness attachment consisting of a ring, a cross-bar spanning said ring, a tongue pivotally mounted on said cross-bar and extending to the periphery of said ring, a hook-shaped element permanently mounted on said cross-bar for swinging movement independently of said tongue, and providing a hook at its free end for securing a rope.

2. As an article of manufacture, a harness attachment consisting of a ring, a cross-bar spanning said ring, a hook-shaped element permanently mounted on said cross-bar for swinging movement, said hook-shaped element having a slot extending substantially perpendicular to said cross-bar, a tongue mounted on said cross-bar for swinging movement in said slot independently of said hook-shaped element and extending to the periphery of the ring, said hook-shaped element providing a hook at its free end for securing a rope.

3. As an article of manufacture, a cinch buckle consisting of a trapezoidal ring of circular cross section, the wider of the two bases of said ring being adapted to be permanently secured to a cinch, a cross-bar substantially parallel to the wider base and spanning said ring, a tongue pivotally mounted on said cross-bar and extending to the narrower of the two bases, the narrower base being adapted by means of said tongue to be detachably fastened to a latigo, and a hookshaped element permanently mounted on said cross-bar for swinging movement independently of said tongue, and providing a hook at its free end for securing a rope.

RORIA W. WILI-IELM. 

